The Lost Frost Fairs of London's River Thames

In 1683 the Thames froze over and a great Thames Frost Fair was held on the ice itself. But despite recent cold winters, especially 2010, the Thames has failed to freeze. Why?

Londoners today may look back with envy to the old River Thames Frost Fairs that were held on a frozen Thames, and wonder why, despite freezing weather conditions, the Thames refuses to provide similar entertainment today.

Imagine what it would be like to skate on the Thames, stopping off to buy hot chestnuts and mulled wine from stalls erected on the ice. There would be music and dancing, games and sledging competitions.

But don't hold your breath - it's not going to happen in the near future!

Some environmental scientists agree that after 1600, the average winter temperatures in Europe were as much as 2°C lower than today. (1) Low temperatures may have been a factor in the freezing of the Thames, but there is little doubt that the presence of the old London Bridge, built in 1176, and its nineteen narrow arches significantly contributed to the Thames freezing over in 1683 between London Bridge and Blackfriars.

The bridge’s presence meant that the flow of the river was much slower than it is today, making it easier for the water to freeze and ice floes to congeal during long bouts of severe winter weather.

The Thames had frozen over either wholly or in part at various times before 1683, and leisure activities had taken place there. But in December of that year the Thames froze for two whole months, prompting what some social historians believe to be the first official Frost Fair, rather than a spontaneous gathering on the ice.

The website, Where Thames Smooth Waters Glide (2) gives a contemporary explanation for the emergence of the Frost Fair. It records (from a pamphlet in the British Museum) that the Thames was so blocked with ice that the watermen were unable to ply their trade, carrying goods and passengers up and down the Thames.

To compensate for loss of earnings watermen took to the ice, setting up stalls to sell liquor and food to an eager public. Eventually roads were built on the ice and carriages began to ply their trade up and down the frozen river.

Soon the phenomenon was being called a Frost Fair, because the crowds were so great and jovial, just like those at the annual Bartholomew’s Fair in Smithfield.

The River Thames Frost Fair Entrepreneurs

The Frost Fair was naturally a wonderful opportunity for all classes of Londoners to take advantage of the situation. Canny entrepreneurs set up long rows of stalls on the ice selling all manner of goods, including clothing, cookware, meat, drink, and tobacco, to name but a few. There were barbers, gambling dens, fortune tellers and even people charging a toll to cross from the river bank onto the ice.

A whole ox was roasted on a gigantic spit. Jugglers, puppet shows, acrobats and all varieties of entertainers took to the ice. A decent remuneration was made by all involved.

Even King Charles II, ever the sociable monarch, visited the Frost Fair with his family.

The diarist, John Evelyn, quoted by Where Thames Smooth Waters Glide writing on 24th January, seemed particularly impressed with a printing press that had been set up ‘…where ye people and ladyes tooke a fancy to have their names printed, and the day and yeare set down…’twas estimated the printer gain’d £5 a day for printing a line onely at six-pence a name…”.

The Decline of River Thames Frost Fairs

Frost Fairs were celebrated because the freezing over of the River Thames was a rare occurance. The river only froze twenty-two times between 1408 and 1814. The last Frost Fair was held in 1813-14.

In 1831 the old London Bridge was replaced. The new London Bridge (sold in 1968 and re-erected in Arizona) had wider arches which meant the river would never freeze again at this point. But as depicted in this painting by James McNeill Whistler, The Thames in Ice, painted in 1860, there were still periods when ice floes were seen on the Thames, causing partial freezing.

I did work at the GLC - as a secretary in a typing pool - but I didn't 'know' Ken. It was a massive place. It was wonderful working there though - the miners came down when they were on strike and gave talks in the lunch hour, we could go to art classes, language classes etc in our lunch hour. Great subsidised canteen, amazing library - I wonder where all those books are now...